Dancing with Death
by EverythingButSleep
Summary: Life was supposed to get better when Anna was finally freed. For both of them. But Anna still haunts Cas' dreams and ghosts are beginning to rise. What's a ghostbuster to do? Post Girl of. Nightmares. *first chapter is jumbled but the others are spaced out. Sorry! Please read :D *
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. I just want to say that this is my first fanfiction and I'm sorry if I ruin it for anyone. Hope you enjoy. All rights to Kendare Blake** **.**

I smirk as I see Carmel and Thomas up ahead. Exchanging saliva as per their usual routine. School. My last year. I know without a doubt that it's gonna drag worse than when Carmel made me and Thomas watch Definitely,Maybe but it keeps mum happy. The teacher is droning on about some absolute boring crap that I have time for. As such I' m finding it hard to keep my eyes open and to focus on his boring, monotone voice. It doesn't help that I hardly get any sleep lately. The dreams are bad again. Anna, my goddess of death, asking me why I'm not there, why I left her, telling me that she's unhappy. I've never been one of romance and rainbow-shooting Cupids but my heart breaks every time I hear her calling my name. It wasn't supposed to be like this. After we freed her, she was supposed to be at peace. And so was I. But the nightmares are consistent, gnawing things, the urge to go out and kill something that's already deadly is intensifying and the need to escape this Hell of a school is impossible to ignore. My phone vibrates in my pocket. The teacher then looks over at me. "Theseus who may I ask is calling?" He smirks at me. I grit my teeth. It's Jestine. For the past couple of months it was always Jestine. "You may answer it" The teacher says with a grand __gesture like he is granting me a huge favour. What a prick. I reluctantly answer, aware of everyone's eyes on me. "What is it?!" I hiss immediately. "Theseus you haven't been answering. I'm worried" Her voice quivers with worry. I frown, anger swelling up inside me. "Don't worry you have no right to. I'm fine" I say bitterly. "I-i thought you were happy" Her voice rises slightly in indignation _._ "Yep. So how's the job?" I look at Carmel who is staring at me hard. I shake my head with her. I want this conversation to end so I can go back to pretending to listen to my mass of a teacher. "Well if you're done t-" "They want you back" Jestine answers.

I have to admit, that makes me shut up. I run my tongue along my teeth, thinking. "Why? Are you that bad at the job? I've been gone for three months" I say with a roll of my eyes. I'm coming across like a cocky prick but it's that or reveal that I'm actually interested in what she has to say. Everyone is still looking at me, their eyes burning into me like lasers. "No. It's getting harder to kill them" She tries to sound stoic but I can hear the whine in her voice. I raise my eyebrows involuntarily and switch the phone to my other hand and ear. "What's so hard? Dodge, strike, dodge, strike. Easy." I lean back, growing tired of this conversation. Carmel's eyes are wide with the words I just used. Whatever. The entire school already thinks I'm a killer, why not give them a little more to gossip about. I force as much sarcasm as possible into my next words. "Easy. Especially when you've trained for 17 years. Was all that time in temple Fuji with your dragons and-?" "There's been a huge outbreak Cas. Ghosts. Hundreds of them. Not just the murderers or the victims. All of them" she says, her voice laced with panic. "That's unfortunate. No. I can't go back" I hang up before she can say anything else and turn off my phone. I turn and find everybody staring at me.

When the bell rings I walk out immediately. "What is it?" Thomas and Carmel demand, flapping behind me like a pair of parrots. I shrug. I'm going to tell them but not now. I take my car keys out my pocket. I'll tell them when I'm back. The athame practically sings in my boot. I swallow, my pulse pounding. "I'll meet you at my house later" I walk out the school and unlock my car. I look back and see Carmel ranting to Thomas. I smirk and jump into the front seat. I drive out to where Anna's house used to be. I sigh deeply and think about what I'm going to do next. The file feels heavy in my hand. I still get letters from old clients. I still take cases just not as often and not as distant. This time it's a small town, two hours drive away. An old hospital where one of the doctors had gone crazy and started cutting patients up before he killed himself by cutting his wrists with a machete. . The hospital had shut down afterwards but people still went inside, daring each other to face the ghost of the old doctor. A couple of them did. I shut the file and pull out of the plot. My hands are hooked around the wheel, my knuckles white. The drive is over too soon, like someone pressed fast-forward on a recording. The place stands tall and towering, like every cliché in every horror movie. And if following horror movie protocol then I'm the idiot who walks in expecting to find something and then wind up dead. BAM! Another movie cliché checked. Except no part of my life so far has been a cliché. I shut the door of my car quietly and creep through the huge, vintage gates of the old hospital. My roots scrape over dusty stones as I come up to the main entrance. I look up at the huge doors. Paint flakes are scattered on the floor along with fallen leaves from seasons passed. The summer heat seems to have retreated from around this decrepit building and I pull my jacket tightly around me. I can smell death. I've grown accustomed to sensing it from a young age and it is strong here. I push the doors open with difficulty, the heavy rusty chains that are wrapped around the handles groaning. I wince and duck inside. There's no sound at all. No mice scuttle, no pipes rattle. Damn this place is haunted as shit. Where to start? There's plenty of hiding places the ghost could be skulking in. Over the past fifty years there has been a recorded number of 12 deaths after the shutdown of the hospital. And they were only the deaths that had been recorded. A squeaking noise penetrates the silence and my body goes into overload, every muscle tense. The sound comes from a corridor further along. I shuffle up and a cheery whistling soon accompanies the squeaking. A quick glance shows a man pushing an old gurney down the corridor, his back to me. The whistling stops and I press back against the wall. I turn my head and come face-to-face with the ghost. He's young, I estimate he's in his early twenties. His hair is tidy and combed, his face seemingly one that would hold kindness. His white doctor's coat is pristine. "Hello. Do you have an appointment?" He asks. His accent is deeply Southern, his skin tanned. I shift the knife in my hand. "Oh. Mr. Lowood. I do not think you have an appointment. Never mind I'm sure we can fit you in". And with a snarl his appearance changes and he throws me to the ground. Now usually I would have been able to anticipate that . But the fact that he knew my name seriously catches me off guard. My head hits the floor hard and the athame goes skidding across the floor. The doctor lurks above me. His face is no longer kind . Instead it now holds a brutality that shocks me enough to make my breath catch. His doctor's coat is no longer pristine. Blood is splattered in different patterns all over the front of it and his hands also drip crimson. I scramble up fast only to get slammed viciously into a cabinet, the glass shattering and sticking into me. I hiss in pain. He's really starting to piss me off. "Mr. Lowood you doubted my abilities?" The man chuckles. There is now a huge machete in his bloody hands. I force myself to move. He swipes at the air, the knife only scraping me. My eyes scan the floor for where my athame is. "Looking for this?" I turn to find that he holds it in his other hand. I act instinctively, tackling him whilst I launch for it. There's a huge scuffle before I finally get free again. Damn the ghost is strong. I wasn't expecting him to be this powerful. And why does he know my name?! I go to scramble away just as I feel a sharp pain in the back of my leg. I look back and see the doctor with the syringe sticking into me. "Don't you worry Mr. Lowood. We'll look after you here" He chuckles as my vision goes blurry and I black out.

 **Okay so that's chapter 1. Sorry about the out-of-characterness. I hope it's alright. Also anyone reading this (I'm guessing) has read Anna dressed in blood. Am I the only one who thinks 'midnight run' by example is like Cas describing his life/situation? Let me know if you want more of my story. :D. Over and Out. Also major thanks to Vovo611 who helped me get everything set up. Any PJO fans should go check Vovo611's stories**.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! This is dedicated to Greenpineapple who reviewed. Great thanks to you. :D. The story continues..**..

I wake up on and old hospital gurney. My arms and legs are strapped down painfully tight. I try to move and my bones creak in protest. If I'm going to get out, it's gonna hurt. I try to sit up again to no avail and then settle on trying to free myself. By now I look like a goddamn fish out of water, stuck on some filthy fisherman's boat. Nah. Just a fucking operating room. "Ah Mr. Lowood. You're awake. Good. I didn't want you to sleep through the show" The doctor's Southern accent cuts through my angry thoughts. He walks into my view, rubber gloves on his bloody hands and a twisted smile on his gruesome face. When I get out of here I'm going to kill him SO hard. I'm so pissed now. I've always hated doctors and hospitals. For as long as I can remember. I used to kick and scream not to go for check-ups when I was little. I think it was the smell of death that always lingered with them. I suppose my phobia of shots didn't help. Ironic that I could fight the dead in a death battle without as much as a hesitation but even glancing a needle would make me want to go running. And that asshole had stabbed me with one! So yeah, I was just a tad bit annoyed. "Okay Mr. Lowood. We were just going to give you a regular check-up, but you've been... uncooperative." The doctor hums to himself, some happy tune from decades long passed.

He is rummaging at a table and at the sound of metal banging against metal, I awkwardly turn my head. The table is covered in surgical equipment- big chunky clamps and scissors and various sizes of knives. All of them are covered in blood and rust. My lunch threatens to make a reappearance. His gloved fingers dance excitedly over them before he picks up a nasty looking hacksaw. "Hmmm. What shall we do first? I feel like a kid in a candy store" he grins down at me. As he moves towards me I wiggle my arm. Still no good. Damn. A bead of sweat runs down my face. He rests the saw on my stomach, the metal teeth biting into my skin. I growl and finally tug my arm free, snapping the bone in the process. Biting back the pain I search frantically for a weapon with my free hand. I pick up one of the knives and stab him with it. He recoils fast and I fumble at my straps. I get myself free and bolt to my feet, clutching my definitely broke-as-shit arm to my chest.

I search for my athame quickly as he gains some composure. He dropped the saw when I stabbed him and he now picks up his good old trusty machete. I finally find the athame and turn around. As I do this my blade sinks into his stomach. But his blade also slices my midriff. A moan of pain escapes my bloody lips as he disappears, melting into the floor. I fall back onto my mass as it's all finished. There are still ghosts here and they are starting to get restless. I put my athame into my back pocket and stumble to my car. I start the engine with shaking hands. Why had he been so strong? Why did he know my name? The questions nag at me as I drive, my vision swirling as blood spreads along my shirt. I can barely feel my feet as I stagger up to my front door and burst through. Thomas and Carmel are there and immediately rise to their feet. "Sorry I'm late" I say before I black out for the second time today.

The drive back from the hospital is long and quiet. The doctors gave me stitches, put my arm in a cast and- much to my hate- gave me a couple of shots. Especially when mum told them I was in the junkyard when I slipped and impaled myself on a piece of rusty metal. She did that because she's angry at me. She knows full well that I hate injections. She thought we were past the days where I went out randomly killing dangerous things without telling her. I had too. The car is full with the silence. They must have discussed the silent treatment whilst I was getting fixed up. Of course Carmel can barely hold out more than a minute. "What the hell Cas?! Why didn't you tell us?! What did Jestine say that made you want to commit suicide via homicidal ghost?!" She looks more worried than angry. I hate when that happens. "What doesn't Jestine say that makes me want to commit suicide?" I joke only because I know it will make her angry and help ease my sense of guilt in the process. What had I planned to do, when I went out to the hospital? _'Cassio. Hey Cas. Why did you leave me? Wasn't that your plan all along? To put me away and move on_ ' Anna's voice is bitter as it travels through my ear. I swallow. "Stop the car" I say. "no, you're not getting-" "Stop the car!" I tell and Thomas does .

I jump out the car and fall to my knees, hurling up my lunch and the painkillers the doctors had given me. I hurl until I have nothing left to hurl and then I'm just heaving. Mum comes around to me and is patting my back, her face etched with worry. I haven't puked, not that bad, since she told me that dad had been murdered. "Was the case that bad?" She asks. Yes but that's not what it is. My goddess, my angel of darkness is still, no matter how it is dressed up, in HELL. How could I just leave her there? I sigh and get into the car again. I pretend to fall asleep so I don't face anymore questions I can't answer. They mumble about me but I'm too busy thinking about what I'm going to do next.

 **Hey so that's chapter 2. Again sorry for the out-of-characterness. And I know it's kinda short but I'm on free writing now. Hope you enjoy. Over and Out**.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello. This is once again dedicated to the amazing Greenpineapple, the spectacular Vovo611 and the great and powerful Loz (Lozza2402). Thank you all so much for reviewing,following/favouriting. Hope you enjoy**.

It's two days later. Rumours are once again flying around me in school. I was stabbed in a drug bust, breaking my arm when I smashed the guy's head into a wall. No no, I was in a sacrificial cult and my sacrifice was not wanted so they broke my arm to teach me a lesson. The rumours get more and more ridiculous as they go on. I decide to walk to school that morning, stretch my legs a little. I got no sleep the night before. Anna once again haunted me, forever my girl of Nightmares as she yelled, then cried, and then worst of all, begged me to come and get her back. Which is why the heavy book of the occult is currently hidden in my sock drawer. It used to be my Dad's and after he had died, mum had thrown it in the trash. But, the promising young Cas that had been me, had swiped it from the trashcan and replaced it with one of her cooking books wrapped in a cloth. I smile at the memory. It had taken me a good hour to work up the courage to go back up to the attic where I had hidden it when we first arrived in Thunder Bay. After I had successfully hidden it again, I had spent the rest of the night reading over possible cases and watching reruns of That 70's Show. The coffee that sustained me still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

The icy air from outside causes my breath to plume in front of me. I hunch my shoulders and rub my hands together, my shoes crunching on the frosted footpath like snapping bones. My arm twinges with the imagery. Damn my morbid imagination. The hospital case keeps running through my head. Why had the doctor had known my name? Why had he been so strong? For the first time since she called, I begin to think about what Jestine had said. She had said that there was an outbreak, that They were getting harder to kill. That last one was definitely true for Psycho Doc. And he had known my name. Was that why they wanted me to take back my job? Not that I had been out of work. In fact, lately there was an increasing amount of letters being posted through our mail slot. I vaguely remember Daisy saying something about having to stay away for a while. I'm completely absorbed in my thoughts, my thoughtful scowl focused on the sparkling path. I just hear someone shuffle past me and as I go to look up, I slam into somebody else.

We both go sprawling. "Watch it!" A voice growls.

I look at the person the threat came out of. She's tiny, petite like a fairy. Her body is a perfect hourglass figure, like something from a cartoon. Her eyes glare up at me. They're wide and a startling silver shade that almost look like contacts. Thick, black eyelashes surround them. Her skin is pale and flawless like white marble. She quickly hurries to her feet and as she does this her hair sweeps back. Her hair is darker than raven wings and is long, even longer than Carmel's. The ends of it are dyed electric blue. As it sweeps back I catch a glimpse of a tattoo on her pale neck. It looks like a triangle with a line the whole way through it. One side of it is coloured in and two curved lines spread out from the top of it. She is wearing a blue hoodie over a faded Kings of Leon t-shirt and a tight pair of black leggings. Her shoes are weird though. They're light climbing shoes, soft material with a grip like sandpaper at the base. She has caught my attention.

"Manners, Kales. I thought we had you trained better" Her companion says in a mocking tone.

I turn to face her. She is also tiny and has a ridiculously narrow waist. Her long eyelashes bat rhythmically and her plumped pink lips are pursed in amusement. Her long, golden hair blows in the gathering wind. Her skin is also pale and flawless. Her eyes are stunning, dark blue orbs that shift lighter the closer it gets to the pupil. She also has a tattoo, although it is on her wrist. It is a simple Tally chart surrounded by and intricate Celtic knot. She is wearing a tight fitting black and red hoodie with matching tracksuit bottoms. She is also wearing the unusual climbing shoes. She , however, has a satchel slung across her shoulder.

"Apologise Kalleigh" she encourages her friend. The one who banged into me (I'm guessing she is called Kalleigh) makes a big fuss of bowing to me.

"I'm so sorry, dear sir, but I was unaware that you are blind!" Her sarcastic tone turns to an agitated one near the end of her sentence. I chuckle. I decide to be a smartass.

"Either was I. Your apology is accepted" I smirk.

Her eyes widen with a mixture of admiration, amusement and anger. "Well!You little-!"

"Kales! C'mon! We need to go!" Her friend urges.

Kalleigh snorts. "Relax Lils. Why you in such a rush? Casey won't be there yet and Nate always likes to have a good search first anyway. But if you insist. Goodbye, rude blind man"

Kalleigh saunters off after her friend and I'm left standing there, pondering what just happened. There's an aura of energy around the two girls. They definitely stand out, regardless of their looks. I haven't seen them around before, although that might explain their accent. Both of them had a thick Irish accent. I shake it off and head back to the house to get my car.

Anna once again fills my thoughts as I sit in class. I miss her so much. I remember the last day we spent with each other, before she went to Hell. I remember sitting on the porch, us kissing, her laugh...

"Mr..Lowood would you please pay attention in class?!" The teacher growls. I nod once and pretend like I'm suddenly interested.

All I want is my goddess back. That's all. "What was Romeo and Juliet's greatest weakness?" The teacher asks. The room fills with quiet murmurs and giggles.

"Their love for each other. They loved each other so much that they forgot that they were both from different worlds. They were doomed to die as a price, to stay separate" I answer, wondering why the hell we're discussing Shakespearean love tragedies. "Well Mr. Lowood, I didn't have pegged as a Shakespeare fan. What is your review?" The teacher smiles vainly.

God Anna, I'm in Hell too. I withhold my groan. " A load of crap. All Shakespeare's stuff is. It's pointless" I shrug. "Then perhaps you're simply a romantic. There you go Ms Jones, you have an answer" The teacher nods at Carmel with an amused look on his face.

Of course Carmel had brought up the topic of doomed love. "Can people from different worlds love each other, be with each other, and survive together?" Carmel asks, trying not to look pointedly in my way. "It has yet to be seen. Back to the topic..." The teacher drones on again. His words echo through my head as Anna continues to whisper in my ear.

I hold another file under my arm at lunch as I sit on the bleachers. Carmel and Thomas walk down to me. "So what? You're not eating now?" Carmel asks. "Not hungry" I mull over the file, trying to banish all thoughts about the last class case, and the needle...I fight my shudder.

"Cas you're not going on your own! Last time you got stabbed!" Carmel hisses, causing a group of freshmen to look over and start whispering about me. "I think I got out fine" I shrug. Damn hospitals. I turn my attention back to the folder. This one seems promising.

"Besides, you can tag along. Just don't get in the way" I shrug and stand up, walking to my car. They scuttle after me, barely keeping up. "Okay. I don't think Cas should be driving?" Thomas squeaks. I push him with my plastered arm and getting

into the driver's seat. I pull out just as they jump into the car. "Why the sudden urge to go Ghostbusting?" Carmel asks from the back seat. "Not. A. Ghostbuster" I hiss.." I'm curious" I add with a shrug.

"The last case shook you up. What happened? " Carmel pleads. I shake my head as memories of the other night flow through my head.

"It wasn't too bad" I try to act cool. "Wasn't too bad?!Is that why all the discarded folders were hospitals? I mean if I was called by name, drugged and then strapped to a surgical table , all the while getting tossed about like a fly, then I would be a bit angsty too" Thomas exclaims, which causes Carmel to gasp. Damn telepathic.

"Cas. Oh. My. God!" Carmel looks about ready to burst, but with which emotion, I'm not sure. "Look, I was caught off guard and he was very intelligent and stronger than I'd thought" I defended.

"And he drugged you" Thomas probably tries to comfort me. "Yeah" I wince, seeing the syringe in my mind, my pulse spiking in Fear at the very image of it.

"That's brilliant" Thomas's smirk is superior. "What?" Carmel frowns. "Cas is afraid of shots" Thomas giggles. "I will push you face first out of this car if you don't stop laughing" I growl. He goes quiet, a small smile still on his lips. It disappears as we arrive.

The journey only lasted 15 minutes. A school this time. A pupil, suspected of robbing money from church, was beaten and stabbed, then stuffed in an air vent left to drown in his own blood and die. They found the money afterwards; it had been taken by the priest. They young boys who had murdered him had come to leave flowers and to apologise. They had died from oxygen deprivation, stab wounds and numerous broken bones.

I twirl the athame in my non-plastered hand. "Who's up for a lesson?" I grin.

 **Okay...How did that go? Let me know your opinions. The two girls are my own characters which will be back in the story later, along with a couple others. What do you think of them? Their names are Kalleigh and Lillyanna. Please review. Please? *puppy dog eyes*. Also important issue; i love Kings of Leon and I feel it is my mission to preach about their song "Beautiful War". Seriously guys: LISTEN TO IT. it's AMAZING. Bye! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is dedicated to Greenpineapple and jemmijus and vovo611 (without whose help this would never have been created) who reviewed. Thanks guys. :D**

Okay already I feel like an idiot for the arrogance. I'm tapping the athame against my hand nervously. I don't think I've been this scared since my first hunt when I was fourteen. Why though? It's not like before when I was in literally one of my least favourite places in the world, it having lost out only to Anna's Hell. I walk into the middle of a classroom and sit in a chair. It moans in protest and the noise echoes and continues echoing through the empty hallways.

I place my elbows on the table in front of me and rub my eyes. Maybe I should have eaten something. My heart is beating fast, my pulse roaring in my ears. I need to rant to someone, if I don't I'll just go crazy. Again my mind wanders back to the girls I ran into this morning. Kalleigh and Lils, although that was obviously a nickname. The mystery that shrouds them is stifling.

"Cas?" Thomas shakes my shoulder and it causes a flare off pain to travel the whole way up my broken arm.

"What is it?!" I snarl. "Um, we think we hear the ghost" he squeaks.

I sigh deeply and rub my hand across my face. I've been more than snappy to the kid lately, I should ease up a little. I nod and stand up, my legs trembling slightly. My stomach aches where the machete pierced it. I can almost feel the mixture of cold from the sharp blade and the warmth from my spreading crimson life source. I shake my head and the memory disappears but it does not banish the almost suffocating sense of fear that has been steadily increasing.

I want to leave. Want to run far and fast. My tail will be between my legs, yes, but at least my head would be on my shoulders.

"You okay?" Thomas squints at me, his features etched with worry. I can't leave now. Not after I dragged them here. Not when I'm supposed to be the badass ghost killer.

"Fine. Just thinking" I only half lie and walk into the room Carmel is in before he can say anything else. Carmel is darting her head around 360 degrees. The sound is almost deafening. It's the sound of wheezing, blood splattering, bones snapping. It's not a nice sound.

I move forward until I'm standing beside an old overturned table. The place smells like mould and decay and rat's piss. It's pretty much looks how it smells. Books lie strewn across the rotten wooden floorboards, different hand-writing scribbled onto the crumbling pages. Mould creeps up the wall like a replacement for the peeling Lime paint. All the while the noise gets louder. The Hell with it!

I take the athame and drag it along the wall. "Come on out! I know you're here. I don't have the time to sit waiting for you to stop playing this childish game of hide-and-go-seek!" I tell over the sound of blood and bones. The noise lowers in volume but doesn't stop.

I growl and turn to go into the other room and come face to face with the ghost. Goddamn it! I hate when they do that. It's a miracle I haven't developed a cardiac problem.

He's young. A year or two younger than me. He doesn't wear his death wounds. His old uniform is faded but it's not bloody or ripped. It disturbs me more though. He could pass for a normal teenage boy. Well, if he wasn't floating a foot off the ground. As he is, he is now at eye level with me.

"Are you Theseus Cassio Lowood?" His voice is without breath, harsh and scratchy.

"Yeah" my tightens around my knife, fingers twitching, body tense.

"Oh. They told me about you. They were looking for you. They said you could build a portal to Hell, with just a little drop of your blood" he stares at me, his unnerving blue eyes fixated on me. Carmel and Thomas are frozen.

"Who's They?" I growl, growing impatient.

""Can you _really?"_ He insists, ignoring my question.

I shrug ( I really should stop shrugging, it's becoming a habit) because I did it before and the way I figure : what the hell, maybe it'll scare him and he won't fight as much.

"Good" he nods slowly and then lunges for me. "Take me to Hell so I can get my soul back!" He claws at me, his nails raking my neck.

He wails as I struggle and shit he's also WAY stronger than I'd expected. I try to wrestle but he's too goddamn strong and once again I feel like a mouse in a cat's paws. Thomas and Carmel rush over and try to help but the ghost just pushes them away, focused on me.

His face is winched into an awful mask of anger and hatred. His eyes are the worst though. They hold a deep, deep misery that almost catches my breath. My head hits the wooden floor and I moan. I finally manage to kick him off and struggle to my feet. I'm panting hard, my hair across my face in streaks. I shake them out of my eyes and then I feel myself being pushed into the window. The rotten wood snaps and the filthy glass shatters under me and suddenly I'm

Falling

The

Air

Whipping

Around

Me

As

Colours

Blur...

And then I make impact. Glass shears my back and through the pain in my ribs and head, I struggle to stay conscious.

"Theseus!" The ghost hisses, floating towards me the same time Anna screams "Cassio" in my ear.

Before the ghost stabs me (imagine how unfortunate I'd be to get stabbed twice in three days) I throw the athame and it guts him. Black blood pours from his stomach and he screams and shudders as his body becomes folded in upon itself with dozens of gruesome cracks. Then he's gone, leaving only a puddle of blood behind.

I stay lying down and Carmel and Thomas run out to me.

"Oh my god!" Carmel falls onto my chest, sobbing hysterically as she tries to hug me. I moan quietly. Everything hurts.

"We thought you were a goner" she's almost hyperventilating as she stands up again, trying to regain her composure.

I look up and seen the fall I'd just taken was from the second story. I could've died. I'm lucky. Or unlucky. Depends on your viewpoint.I go to move then double over and puke.

"Concussion. Does it hurt to breathe?" Thomas asks. "I know what broken ribs feel like and I can tell you I have a shit load of them" I accept Thomas' extended hand and try not to groan as I'm pulled to my feet.

"Jesus Cas" he shakes his head. I get into the car, feeling numb. This time I get into the passenger seat. Mum was going to kill me.

"At least it was a quick job" I offer as they get into the car as well. Carmel offers me a glare from the backseat.

"Where to now?" Thomas asks as he starts the ignition.

"School. There's still 20 minutes left" I stare at Thomas making sure he knows I'm serious and if he takes me to mom or the hospital I'll kick his ass. Besides, my attendance is really starting to irritate my mother.

Weird things are going on. I'm on a good time with two ghosts in three days. One of my best . Also two of my strongest ghosts. My tired bones (broken bones, whatever) amend that. Also they both knew my name. That concerns me greatly. Then there's the elusive 'they'. This shit is getting mysterious. I'm sick of waiting for answers. I want them now.

"Stop thinking so loudly. You're giving me a headache" Thomas mumbles.

"Happens to me every time you open your mouth" I retort.

"You must be confused, that's you" Thomas smirks.

"Boys you can continue your marriage disputes later. We're here" Carmel rolls her eyes at us.

"Not used to competition, huh?" I joke from which she nudges me. I bit my lip as pain travels through my entire body.

Thomas pulls into the parking lot of our school. All the kids from our year are all out on the bleachers, the sun bright and the heat sickeningly sticky. I roll the athame back up my sleeve. I feel bad for taking it out of the salt jar early. Another reason why mom's gonna kill me later. I get out of the car, hoping fresh air will clear my head and lungs. Something, however, seems off.

People are muttering about me. "Someone's looking you, Lowood" a boy from our class calls to me. I frown. Never good when someone's looking for me. I squinted and seen a vintage blue Mustang parked the opposite side of the street, gleaming under the sun. And the Mystery girls stand in front of it. Lils' (i'm just going busy her nickname) hair flicks across her porcelain face as she stares at me, her floral dress pretty and flattering. Her companion beside her is just as captivating.

Her black/blue hair also twitches in the wind like something alive. Her faded blue jeans are ripped at the knees, revealing more pale skin. Her chequered shirt flicks in the growing wind. I smirk as I read her t-shirt she wears under it. 'Normal People Scare Me' . It suits her. Her eyes are hidden with thick sunglasses. She takes a long drag from her lit cigarette, the smoke escaping her lips almost enchanting.

I go to cross over to them wherein I hear someone clear their throat behind me. "about time" A familiar voice calls. I turn to find Jestine leaning against the old Oak tree in the school grounds. "Hello Theseus. I think it's about time we have a talk"

 **So that's chapter 4. How good is American Horror Story? I LOVE it. I love Evan Peters. He's just gorgeous. Anyway please read and review. All opinions are appreciated. Byeee**


	5. Chapter 5

**Again, great thanks to Greenpineapple and Salt-Upon-Wounds for reviewing. Hope you enjoy. I apologize in advance for the Out-of-characterness. Also, can't believe I forgot to do this earlier but Kendare Blake owns all of this except my amazing OC's. All rights to Kendare Blake.**

I'm slightly relieved to see her, if I'm honest. But mostly I'm angry.

"What brings you from England, Jessy?" I ask as we stand across from each other.

She stares at me, her green eyes sparkling with amusement, the corners of her mouth turned up in a superior smirk. Her dark blonde hair is pulled back into a tight braid, red streaks shining under the sun. Her confidence burns as bright as it.

"Don't play dumb, Cas. _You_. You know I'm here for you" She raises her eyebrows and I shrug, fighting the urge to scream as I do.

"You smell of Death. Blood and dust" She throws the words out so casually. She is as much aware of all the people watching us as I am. I've certainly built myself I reputation here at Thunder Bay.

"I'm just back from a job" I keep the athame up my sleeve. You have to expect everything when it comes to Jestine.

"I thought you quit" her smirk deepens and she shifts her position, moving forward from the tree to step closer to me. Her accent is starting to bother me.

"Full of the wrong information like always. Speaking about jobs- why aren't you out doing _yours_ back in _your_ _own_ region?" I hear the venom in my words. She goes tense. I'm intimidating her. Now it's my turn to smirk.

"There's nothing I can do. No ghost will let me near it. Not the right Ghost Hunter, I suppose" Her words are now sharp.

"That's too bad" I go to walk away, tired of this encounter when I feel the end of a knife dig into my bruised and cut back.

"It really is. Turn around and talk to me, _**coward !"**_ She growls. I laugh faintly and feel her shift the knife in her hand from apprehension.

I move quickly, pushing her until her back hits the oak tree. "I'm no coward. You left me there Jessy. Sure you _tried_ to help us, but in the end you left. I get that. You were dying. But then you left us all there, confused and stuck in an underground infirmary. Scared for the confrontation, Jessy? _I_ was scared Jessy. Jesus I haven't admitted it but I was _terrified_ and you up and left, too selfish to stay and help your friend" I hiss in her ear.

 **(Authors note: just bear with me. I know it isn't exactly how it happened but I just kinda wanted Cas to be angry with Jestine and to sorta blame her. Please just bear with me)**

"We survive Cas. It's what we do" She growls. She has a point. I let her go, turning my back and walking away again.

"You don't belong with her anyway. It's a good thing she's dead"Jestine calls.

"Cas no-!" I hear Thomas call as I storm to her again, an anger like I've never felt coursing through my veins. I hold my knife to her throat. She gasps slightly then chuckles and I notice her knife trained at my stomach.

"Seems like you don't need my help to get impaled. What you gonna do, _Cassio_?" She taunts me.

"Don't tempt me Jestine" I warn.

"I'll stab you , Cas. You know I will. Fists first and all" She moves her hand so that her knife is now digging into and cutting my hidden stitches. My hand tightens around my athame from the pain and as a result the blade starts to graze her skin slightly.

"I've survived being stabbed. It's not fun but I can do it" I say.

"Maybe I can survive my throat being cut. Improve upon the unfortunate ending of your girlfriend." She mocks. Before I have time to do anything but growl she digs her elbow into my side. My ribs shift and I cry out in pain, doubling over and dropping the athame.

"Broken ribs, Cas. My, my you _are_ getting sloppy" She picks up my athame and holds out her other hand.

"Stop these games were we blame one another for what happened to your little girlfriend. You left too. Besides the point, we need each other's help" she raises a fair eyebrow at me

I refuse it and stagger to my feet, snapping the athame out of her other hand.

"You weren't really going to kill me, were you Cas? " She bats her eyelashes at me.

"Damn it Jessy. You're such a pain in the ass. Why've you got to go saying stuff like that to me?!" I demand, my head still reeling with the pain.

"What you looking at? Look away, act busy. He kills people for a living, you don't want to piss him off" Jestine says to an eavesdropping freshman whose eyes widen and he scrambles away.

"Stop messing with people or I'll send you back to England. And I don't need your help to raise my social status as the serial killer" I growl, dragging her down to where my car is parked.

She hugs me which catches me by surprise. "I missed you Cas" She whispers.

I clear my throat. "We can talk later. I'm doing a job later" I say. Carmel and Thomas look at me. Thomas mutters something under his breath that sounds like ' _suicidal bastard'._ I choose to ignore it.

"I'm coming" Jestine says, her chin raised defiantly as if daring me to refuse her.

"Fine. Just don't get in my way" I get in my car.

"Where are you going _now_?" Carmel rolls her eyes.

"Home. I need to let mom know that we need to set up the spare room for Jestine" I roll my eyes back at her. I'm going home to sleep as well. Black spots keep popping before my eyes.

"Cheers. I haven't spoke to your mom in months. I hope she doesn't hate me too much for making you stab yourself. The downside of being in a cult" Jestine hops into the passenger seat.

As I drive to my house, I scan the streets for a baby blue Mustang but find nothing.

-linebreak of rainbows and confetti-

Mom is chewing on the inside of her cheek as I gather up the file I was looking through. She wants to stop me. Lock me in my room and ground me. But we're well past that by now.

"People are getting hurt. I can stop it" I stand up and look at her.

"What about you? Don't you matter? Don't I?" She crosses her arms across her chest.

"Mom don't do this. Of course you matter. Look I promise I won't get hurt this time" I smile at her and put a hand on her arm.

"Yeah Mrs. Lowood. I'll keep him out of trouble" Jestine walks in, her braid clipped tight to her head, wearing dark clothes.

"Come back to me" Mom kisses my head.

"Can't promise anything" I try to joke. She scowl deeply. "Okay fine, not funny. We'll all come back" I promise.

Thomas beeps the car horn again and I roll my eyes, grabbing the athame from the salt jar.

"What's the rush, jackass?" I ask Thomas as me and Jestine slide into the back seat of his car.

"Me and Carmel are seeing the new Paranormal Activity movie in the theatre later and I don't want to miss it" Thomas shrugs as he takes off.

"You don't see the irony in that?" I raise an eyebrow.

"It's no more ironic than the fact that Jestine has been here a day and she's already staying in your house" Thomas smirks.

"Don't set Cas' hopes too high Thomas. He doesn't need his heart broken twice. Congratulations on staying in your relationship. I honestly didn't think it would last" Jestine smiles.

"No one did. He's lucky Carmel decided to settle" I say casually.

"Fuck you Cas. Can we all just stay quiet now?" He asks, exasperated. I can see Carmel beside him trying not to laugh.

We arrive at the street of our destination. 37 Shadebrooke Lane. The whole street is empty, no one lives here since the 1970's when a house went on fire. Then, of course, things went weird. Anyone who entered the house ended up maimed or dead.

So I am pretty shocked to see a baby blue Mustang parked outside number 37.

-linebreak of tension-

"What the Hell?" I mutter as I get out of the car. "Come on" I call to the others.

Jestine is first out. Then there's Carmel and Thomas.

"Anything?" I ask Thomas. I squint at the car. No movement from inside.

"No. The person could be blocking me. Or they might be a new victim" Thomas suggests.

"People" I correct.

"Huh?" Thomas scowls at me.

"People. Plural. Two girls. I ran into them earlier. There was something...off about them" I get the athame out of my back pocket and begin to walk to the door, the others trailing behind. I open the door quietly, sneaking in. Jestine does the same and even Carmel makes a decent attempt at being stealthy. Thomas however slams the door behind him and manages to trip over his own feet, falling flat on his face.

I drag him up with a growl as he gives embarrassed looks and apologies. The house didn't completely burn down. In fact, the walls and floor were a little black but that is it. My eyes adjust quickly to the dim, grey light and I can see a figure crouched behind a couch, two other figures beside them, one standing.

"What the Hell are you doing here?!" I demand to Kalleigh, whose eyes are shut in concentration.

She is wearing tight fitting black clothes that show all her curves and her narrow waist. Her hair is scraped into an untidy braid, a black cap covering the top of her head. Lils beside her is dressed in pretty much the same manner.

"Who the Hell are you?!" The other figure moves forward. It's a boy, the same age as me but taller by a head. He's got brown hair and green eyes and he looks pissed.

"Nate, this is the rude blind man I told you about, rude blind man this is Nate. You already know Lillyanna. Casey couldn't be here tonight because he's training but you'll meet him another time. Now please be quiet, you'll wake the ghosts" Kalleigh doesn't open her eyes.

"Wait, you know about ghosts?" Carmel steps forward.

"Yeah. Duh. That's the reason we're here, same as you" Lillyanna rolls her eyes and passes a wooden ceremonial knife into Kalleigh's extended hand.

"So you're Ghostbusters too?" Carmel asks.

All three of them turn to us, even Kalleigh who has opened her eyes.

"Please don't call us Ghostbusters. And please be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate" Kalleigh closes her eyes again and makes a nick in her finger with the ceremonial knife, muttering Gaelic under her breath as she draws shapes on the soot covered floor with the small droplets of her blood.

"Anything?" Lillyanna asks.

Kalleigh opens her eyes again to glare at her friend. "Patience Lils. Rush me and I'll just fuck it up" She growls, irritation clear in her voice.

"Fine, fine. Just let me know as soon as-" She's cut off as the sound of shattering fills the air, coming from the dining room.

I creep into the room and my heart jumps. Standing, hunched over by a cupboard is the ghost. A burnt, awful smelling creature. My foot crunches on some glass on the floor and it snaps around to face me. It shrieks and crawls forward, steam rising from it's burnt skin.

I duck to the side as it's hand swipes for me, my skin burning from being so close to it's otherworldly heat. Jestine stands where I was and she hacks at it with her knife. It hisses and lunges for her but I push her out of the way and it impales itself onto my athame. It shrieks once more and disintegrates into ash before us.

"What the Hell Cas?! I had it, why'd you push me?" Jestine growls as we walk back to the sitting room.

"It would have burned you. Gideon would be angry if I sent the official ghost hunter back extra crispy. Speaking of ghost hunters..." I snort as Kalleigh's chants pick up in speed and volume.

Thomas is watching like a pupil observing a teacher. Carmel is watching like she's at a circus.

"What are you doing? We killed the ghost" I demand.

"Be quiet!" Lillyanna hisses.

"Listen, we just killed that stupid ghost. So you can stop with your bullshit act of being ghost hunters and-"

"I said be quiet! Or do you want me to shut you up for you?" Lillyanna growls at Jestine. Nate grabs Lillyanna's arm.

"Sorry. She has anger issues and we are trying-" He gets cut off as Kalleigh gives a loud gasp, her eyes flying open. They're a milky white. She sways for a second then folds in upon herself.

"Kales? Kalleigh?" Nate shakes her shoulder, not put off by this at all. Kalleigh sits up, her eyes back to their normal abnormal grey.

"There's a cluster!" She wheezes.

"What?" Carmel asks.

"Everybody over here!" Kalleigh commands. I do as she says, because something in her voice tells me this is important. The others follow and soon, it's the seven of us ducked behind the couch.

"Your vision?" Lillyanna asks her friend.

Kalleigh nods. "This used to be a cult. Sacrificial killings and all that bad mojo. They're all still here, all the sacrifices, all the cult members that died in the fire. All of them. You only killed one" she swallows, and pulls another wooden dagger from her waistband, only this one is coated in metal.

"But you had a vision? That would mean-"

"We can get back to what that means later. For now I hope you all know how to fight. Because we're in for one" Kalleigh interrupts Thomas.

"You think we're about to get ambushed?" I ask, clutching the athame as it pulses. There's a change in the air. We look up and see another burned ghost leaning over the couch, looking down at us.

"Well hi there" Kalleigh waves at it as we all freeze. Lillyanna springs forward and punches the ghost in the face with her studded leather gloves. The ghost recoils with a hiss and sinks into the ground.

"You just punched a ghost in the face" Carmel says in shock.

"It was instinct" Lillyanna shrugs.

"That's my girl!" Kalleigh grins and I can't help but stare at her. She raises her eyebrow at me, noticing me staring and I look away, feeling my cheeks heat.

Kalleigh stands up. "You guys coming to the fight?" She asks, turning her knife around with a flick of her hand as a ghost rushes at her, impaling itself and turning to ash.

"Where do you meet these people?!" Carmel yells at me over the shrieking of the ghosts.

Lillyanna hands Thomas a metal coated wooden knife and Kalleigh does the same to Carmel so that we all have weapons. Then Kalleigh runs at a ghost, jumping over it elegantly and stabbing it as she is in the air: it's only ashes by the time her feet once again touch the ground.

Lillyanna is like a miniature ghost killing tornado, turning dozens to ashes as she flips and turns and flips again, just a blur. I shake myself from my shock induced stupor and move into action, sinking my athame into one of the burned ghosts, and another and another. Soon there's only the sacrificed ghosts left, the ones destroyed in blood and entrails.

Kalleigh slices her knife across one's throat and it disappears with a shriek and a gust of wind that sends her flying backwards through the air. I instinctively rush forward and she falls back into my arms. I stare down at her and she stares back up at me.

"Are we continuing with this awkward interaction or can we go back to slaying the dead?" She clears her throat.

"Oh. Yeah" I clear my own throat and push her up onto her feet.

"Cas!" She yells and I turn to see a ghost barrelling towards me. She pushes me out the way and stabs the ghost just as he grabs her by the arms and fires her into the wall with a sickeningly loud THUD!

I look around and see that that was the last of them. Lillyanna and Nate are over by Kalleigh helping her to her feet. There's blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and there's already purple bruise on her arms. Despite this though, she's grinning.

We're all covered in ash and our hair is all tossed. We're all sweating and have scratches.

"Well that was a success. I think it's about time we all sat down and had a serious conversation, now that the dead aren't trying to rip our throats out. I'm famished. Who's up for pizza?" Kalleigh claps her hands together.

 **Sooooooo...how was that? I am sooooooo sorry I didn't update this sooner, but school and prom and Christmas and everything is happening. Hope this longer chapter made up for my absence. Any suggestions or opinions are welcomed. Thanks for reading. Stay alive, stay smiling, stay crazy. Have a good day, wherever you are :D byyyyyeeee** **.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yikes. It's been a long time. What can I say to justify this length of silence? I travelled to Rome to vanquish Satan and his minions? Nah I just got lazy. Sorry! All rights to Kendare Blake**.

I stare at Kalleigh. It's all I can do. Nate mutters something in her ear and she laughs.

"Easy, tiger" She purrs and then claps her gloved hands together. "Soooooo... as much as I love hanging around in old, cult headquarters that hold angry ghosts, I do think we have overstayed our welcome, what with killing our undead hosts and all that"

She widens her already wide eyes and makes a clicking noise with her mouth before walking off , gathering all of her items and throwing them carelessly into her black knapsack.

"You make it sound like we just crashed a party" Nate takes the bag from her, raising his eyebrows at her as she glares up at him, hands on her tiny hips. He submits and hands her back the knapsack and all remnants of anger disappear from her face, her lips once again spread in a grin..

"Well it was fun. I've been to better parties and I've been to worse" she sighs in contentment.

"The Temple party of 2015" All three of our new allies say simultaneously, matching smiles on their faces.

"Seriously, where do you meet these weirdos?" Thomas scowls. I shrug.

"Figured you would know. Like, you all gathered in a secret club or something" I smirk.

"Jackass" He mutters and we both chuckle weakly, exhaustion eating at us. I look at Carmel and Jestine and see that they're the same. Except Jestine looks pissed.

"You have explaining to do" she snaps.

"Hmmm? Ah, yeah. That. Where do you reckon we go for food, Pixie's?" Kalleigh asks her comrades as she answers her BlackBerry that began to belt out the Ghostbusters song. I smirk at the floor. She sure had a sense of humour.

Nate and Lillyanna nod in answer to her question.

"Great. Yeah Case, Pixie's it is. Save us the booth, will ya?" Kalleigh hangs up quickly and slips her phone back into her jacket pocket.

"Shotgun!" She yells before skipping out the door.

"Is she always like this?" I ask Lillyanna as we follow.

"Like she's on Meth? Yeah" Lils smiles as we all stop at the cars.

"Me, Nate, Lils, Cas and the English girl come with us. Cheerleader and Glasses follow in the other car" Kalleigh says, opening the passenger door of the Mustang.

"And why should we?" Carmel demands, trying to act tough even though I know she's rattled and confused.

"Fine. Leave. See if I actually give a Damn. But I thought you wanted answers, is all" Kalleigh shrugs and slips into the car, closing the door behind her hard with a slam.

"Jesus Kales, go easy. You know how much this car is worth? I could buy a person for less" Nate gets in the driver's seat.

Lillyanna opens the back seat door and solids over to the far window seat. I follow her, Jestine close behind me. The car is a beauty. All wood and tanned leather. Nate starts the ignition and the car rumbles alive with a purr. As he pulls away from the curb, I stare back at the decrepit house. I close my eyes and Anna whispers in my ear.

" _Please Cassio. I miss you. The real you_ " She breathes, her cold hand light on my cheek. I open my eyes and she's not there, no trace at all of my Goddess. Instead there is a worried Jestine staring intently at me.

"You okay?" She asks. I shrug. I feel Lillyanna's calculating gaze on me.

"Guys, I'm worried we picked up weirdos again" She calls into the front seat where Kalleigh and Nate are still arguing about the car door incident.

"-all I'm saying is I doubt you'd be able to pay for the damage. I could-"

"-buy a person for less. I know I know. Jeez, you sound like a dick"Kalleigh interrupts him, giving a snort of laughter.

"Prostitute or slave?" She says suddenly to him.

"What?"He swerves before gaining control of the car again.

"You said you could buy a person..I was just wondering if you would buy a butler or go visit Ash for a 'good time'" She shrugs, flipping through the CD's in the glove compartment.

"Ashley is not a prostitute" Nate says, his voice dangerously low.

"You sure?" Lillyanna pipes up.

"She's not a _good_ prostitute is what I meant. Forgets to charge" Kalleigh says and Lillyanna laughs.

"Sorry about that, we shouldn't be insulting your little defenceless girlfriend" Kalleigh says in a baby voice.

"She's not my girlfriend. I've told you that. I don't understand why you're being like this. We agreed-"

"Relax. I'm just messing with you. You're too damned sensitive. " Kalleigh pinches Nate's cheek.

She inserts a CD into the car stereo and The Police's 'Roxanne' floods into the tense atmosphere.

"You're an absolute bitch" Nate laughs, running a hand across his face.

"A bitch with a phenomenon sense of humour" Kalleigh adds and laughs. The tension disappears as we drive out past Thunder Bay, further along into the unknown.

"Hmmm. I can't decide. You. Pick"' Kalleigh's voice seems bored and I barely have time to react when a CD cover is thrown into my lap.

I scan the cover of it. It's a hand drawn picture of an angel fighting a demon. It's very impressive. At the back of the cover, written in elegant, cursive writing is an array of songs I don't know by artists I barely recognize.

"We make the CD's ourselves. Just a bunch of mixed songs. I do the cover art, Kalleigh selects the songs and Alice, our other friend, transfers them" Lillyanna smiles at me.

I smile back and hand her the CD. I stare back out the window. God Anna. Why is Fate so cruel? I miss you. I miss you so much it fucking hurts and I done this all for you, so you could be happy, but now you're talking to me again, begging me to find you again and it. Is. Killing. Me.

The car stops with a rumble and I look up. An old, decrepit building destroyed in green moss that looks like it's the only thing holding the establishment together. A neon sign hangs crooked over the peeling blue-painted door, bright purple writing declaring the place to be called Pixie's. I look out the rear view window and see Thomas and Carmel pull up as well. Kalleigh opens her car door and steps out. I no longer know where the Hell we actually are. I look and see the others are all ready out the cars. Jestine rolls her eyes at me and I force myself not to childishly stick my tongue out at her.

The damp in the air swarms up my nostrils. Nate opens the blue door and holds it open for Kalleigh. The sounds of glasses clicking and people talking and laughing seeps out into the damp night air. Kalleigh pats him on the chest before sauntering into the room. Nate follows her as do the others. The door closed and I'm left outside on my own. I stare at the door. What the Hell have I gotten myself into? Without further hesitation I push the door open.

 **So... a few things to say. I am ridiculously sorry A) for how long this took to update and B) how lousy of an update it is. It's really rubbish and you deserve better but writer's block is cruel. Another thing: is there anything you guys want in this? Any ideas, suggestions, plot alterations? Please let me know. Okay? I would like to thank Greenpineapple and Guest(guest) for your amazing reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to me. Thanks guys so much :D**


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